Tim Zen – Gangsters
I can’t express to you how badly I needed Tim Zen to bless my 2021 with this song. I’m willing to consider that this 16 year old may have birthed my favourite release of the year so far, a song that makes no attempt at streaming or radio accessibility. This kid evidently has no respect for comfort or laurels (Ever seen him resting on them!? Hell no!) cause this bumpy, choppy mess is unapologetic and wonderful.
Take a fistful of Jai Paul’s buried vocal and strange sidechains and pound it into Tune-Yards chaotic percussive parts and you’ve mashed yourself a third the way towards this track. Melbourne teenager Tim Zen was on one when he put this together, though here are two unsolicited criticisms. One, why’d he go and wrap this thing up nigh on two minutes? You owe me another minute and you best believe I plan to collect – get recording. Secondly, there’s a bass arpeggio at 1 minute 30 that he does only once which was very cool. I like how it sounded right in my ears, like a shadow rolling head over heels down some stairs. I’d encourage all four of you reading this to attend to that moment, it’s something. Tim, please include that sound a few times in my penalty minute, thank you. Those heavy issues aside, this is such a creative and textured record. The vocal production, the way he’s sliced his words like sashimi, the warm rounded bass kicks, the moments of ambient silence… it’s a rose amidst nettles.
I’m pleased to inform you that this isn’t an isolated incident either, for even though Tim is only part way into his pimple faced years, he’s got an EP, a bunch of singles and a whole other project called Tropiik, all worth investigating. It’s a bit more of that Lo-fi hip-hop energy with a dollop of flume but it is, of course, quite nice. Have some of it below why don’t you.
Artists you need to know rn
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186 | 4. Zan | |
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I love 2 minute songs. I think Tim is teasing out a sampler for a beautiful album with this track (yes, I still believe in albums).
Also love that the bass run is only used once. We must agree to disagree on these points but obviously agree that this is a very talented young fella, going to be interesting to watch in coming years.
Yaya
N